Lansing, MI – Community organizing, social justice and labor groups have formed
No More Nameless Vigil To Honor Homeless In Bronson Park
(Kalamazoo)-Michigan’s blustery winds and bone chilling temperatures is a reality that those without shelter face on a daily basis. Some of those people that are homeless are children. This past December, an undocumented immigrant new to Kalamazoo was turned away from shelter that had reached it’s capacity. This man died unnamed and unreported. Unfortunately, individuals and more families with children are falling under what is consider poverty levels in Kalamazoo County.
Occupy Kalamazoo stands in solidarity with National Gathering 2013 using the vigil to commemorate the passing of members of the human family by giving a moment of silence and individual sharing from participants involved with the vigil.
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National Gathering 2013 and Occupy Kalamazoo are planning more activities around social injustices and the some of the unknown impacts it has on people and the community.
Candlelight Vigil For Nameless Planned For Saturday In Bronson Park
Today a candlelight vigil for the homeless will honor those who have passed away because of extreme exposure to Michigan winter weather or other underlying circumstances.
The vigil is organized by supporters of Occupy Kalamazoo and National Occupy Movement to raise awareness about the growing number of homeless people in Kalamazoo and around the country. These numbers includes families with school age children. The Occupy Movement will honor the passing of all those who have not been heard, whose basic human needs have not been met, and who have not found their own voices by devoting their second National Gathering to communication–“we will raise our individual, local, national and global voices”.
According to homeless statistics from most recent data, Housing Resources Inc., reports that in Michigan, 53 percent of the homeless population in Michigan consists of adults and children in families. 67 percent of the homeless families are headed by women,many of whom are young women with young children. Over 14,000, homeless children, infancy to 10 years old reside in Michigan. Children of families in transit, often face many obstacles that impair their academic progress.
This past December, undocumented and unaware, new and unknown to the area, a human being was turned away from shelter that had reached it’s capacity. This man died unnamed and unreported. His only mention other than some questions asked by staffe members at the shelter was a nameless obituary. National Gathering 2013 will use the vigil commemorate the passing of a member of our human family by naming the truth in their own voices, in their own way.
This event is open to the public. 6PM at Bronson Park,downtown Kalamazoo. 5PM Central, 4PM Mountain, 3PM Central.
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